Start date for new North American trade pact could be pushed back amid coronavirus pandemic, says NAFTA Council member

U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer notified Congress on March 17 that the new NAFTA will go into effect on June 1.

Canadian Labour Congress president Hassan Yussuff is one of 13 individuals on Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland's NAFTA Council who feels the new trilateral pact may not be coming into effect on the U.S. president's desired June 1 timeline. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

As the White House seeks to have the new North American trade deal in force by the beginning of June, a member of the government’s NAFTA advisory group says that timeline is unlikely to be met.

Unless Trudeau plans to be out on these streets, fighting against police brutality or in cabinet drafting legislation to curb police powers, his, and all the other white voices of his ilk, have no merit here.

'I do agree that things need to be implemented as quickly as possible. We could've done this a lot sooner. The good news is that we’re doing it now and announcing it today,' says Transport Minister Marc Garneau.